Gwyneth J. Saunders/The Sun Today Milton Baker's brought a few examples of the Kennedy half dollar coins about which he spoke at a recent Sun City Coin Club meeting. Collectors keep coins in these kinds of envelopes to protect them. Polishing coins to make them shiny can radically decrease their value.

Within hours of President John F. Kennedy’s assassination Nov. 22, 1963, there was a move in Washington circles to mint a coin with his likeness. One month later, Congress approved the creation of the Kennedy half dollar, replacing Ben Franklin on the 50-cent piece.

Milton Baker of the Sun City Coin Club presented this bit of information and much more when he spoke on the Kennedy half dollar’s history. He volunteered to provide topical details on a coin that seems to have disappeared from circulation, according to his information.

“It quickly became a popular coin to collect and now it is so rare that most cashiers have no idea what it is,” he told his fellow collectors and historians. It was so popular that the initial mint release of 70,000 coins on Jan. 10, 1964, was increased to 92 million and then 161 million by November 1964.

Baker has been interested in coins since 1960.

“I like the idea of finding something new and different,” he said. “I try to find a series and get just the thrill of finding something.”

At the monthly meeting of the Sun City Coin Club, the 60 members of the club not only discuss where various trade shows and exhibits are but share their love of coin history. The focus is primarily on United States coins of all ages, said club president DeForest Hamilton.

“We focus on American currency. I’m a member because I like collecting coins. I like the history and what the coins mean, why the designs were made,” he said. While the club members have mostly modest collections, Hamilton said “there’s big money in coin collecting,” and cited a recent auction sale of a Philadelphia-minted quarter from the late 1700’s for nearly $2 million.

Even though the members don’t chase coins with that value, they do have an interest in completing sets or at least traveling to see rare coins. They talk about coin grading (don’t ever polish coins to make them shiny — it ruins the patina and decreases the eventual value if they are collectible), Buffalo nickels, Lincoln cents, the differences between “flowing hair and bust halves” and the problems with counterfeit and fake coins.

Hamilton showed a coin book that described such odd currency as half dimes, half cents, large cents, 2-cent pieces and 3-cent silver coins.

Not everyone focuses on specifics or has a formal collection.

“I’ve gathered them over the years,” said Bob Ciehanski. “I’m a gatherer rather than a collector.”

Some guests come to find out if what they’ve inherited are of any value and seek the expertise of those more knowledgeable. Pat Vacchi had a few coins from her grandmother.

“Some of them may have value, some may just be taking up space,” she said.

In her case, a member might be able to help value them or stir her in the right direction.

The programs vary depending on whoever has an idea, the availability of a guest speaker from outside the community or anyone willing to research and then speak on a certain topic.

“We try to vary the program and talk about one particular coin,” Baker said. “It brings everyone up to date on the history and background.”

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